Tramway



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. J. WOLFROM. TRAMWAY.

No. 475,102. Patented May-1'7, 1892.

0 I v v (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.v

' E. J. WOLFROM.

. TRA MWAY. No. 475,102. Patented May 17, 1892;

11a Jflaymw.

'ATENT OFFICE.

ELI J. WOLFROM, OF MAYSVILLE, COLORADO.

TRAMWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 475,102, dated May 17,1892. Application filed November 28. 1891. Serial No. 413,421. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it Duty concern.-

Be it known that I, ELI J. l/VOLFROM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Maysville, in the county of Ohaffee and State of Colorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tramways; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tramways.

The object of the invention is to provide an elevated way which will beprotected from snow and which will permit the use of a single track andyet admit of the loaded cars drawing the empty cars, the two carspassing intermediate the ends of the said tramway, a switch or sidetrack being provided at this point to permit the cars to pass.

The improvement consists of the novel features and the peculiarconstruction and combination of the parts, which will be hereinaftermore fully described and claimed and which are shown in the annexeddrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tramway embodyingmy invention, showing the switch and the relative disposition of thecars on the said switch and main line. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of themain and switch tracks, the supports being removed. Fig. 3 is acrosssection of the tramway in front of the car on the line x no of Fig.2, looking to the left. Fig. 4 is a cross-section, similar to Fig. 3, ofa modification, showing the pair of rollers placed one above the other.Fig. 5 is a further modification showing the main line deflected.

The tramway. is composed of aseries of triangular-shaped supports A,which are arranged with their apices upward and the base portionsresting upon the ground, the main track 13, the switch-track (J, and theguiderails g g, which are located at a lower level and are secured tothe side pieces of the supports A. The tracks are composed of sillsD andrails d, the latter being secured on the sills in the usual manner andthe sills being secured to the side pieces of the supports by bolts aand blocksf, which are secured to the side pieces of the said supportsA, substantially in the manner shown most clearlyin Fig. 3. The

switch-track O for a short distance from each end extends parallel withthe main track B and is deflected away from the main track intermediateof its ends. The main track is deflected in an opposite direction atapoint opposite the deflected portion of the switchtrack O. The twotracks are similarly deflected, thereby distributing the strain moreuniformly on the cables 0 O, which connect the two cars S S. Theswitch-track is two inches, more or less, higher than the main track,and its ends slope gradually to the level of the said main track. One ofthe cars, as S, is provided with single-groove wheels T at the upperends of the hanger D. This car always travels on the main track. The carS is provided with a pair of groove-wheels T at the upper ends of thehanger D. This car leaves the main track and passes the car S on theswitch 0 and again returns to the said main track after passing the carS.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The two cars, beingconnected together by the cable 0 O in the usual manner, travel inopposite directions. Hence they approach the switch from oppositepoints. The car S travels on the main track from end to end. As the carS enters the switch the free wheel rides upon the switch-track and liftsthe wheel previously travelingon the main track and compels the car totravel on the switch. The two cars S and S pass each about midway of theends of the switch-track. As the car S approaches the end of the switchtrack the Wheels ride down on the inclined end of the said switch-trackand permit the car to continue its travel on the main track. Theguiderails g g engage with the sides of the car and hold the same in aperpendicular position.

The pair of supporting-wheels T may be placed side by side or above oneanother, depending upon the relative position of the main and switchtracks. Obviously if the end'portions of the switch-track are in linewith the main track the said switch-track will have to be placedrelatively higher and the said wheels T will be in the same verticalplane. (See Fig. 4.) In the practical operation of the invention itmakes little difference whether the main or the switch track isdeflected, or both. The purpose of the lateral deflection is to permitthe. cars to pass by each other withbolts a, the blocks f, the rails d,secured to out interference. The manner of supporting the said sills,the guard-rails g, and thecar the tracks is not essential to the spiritof the suspended from the said rails and held 1n a invention, the saidtracks being secured to vertical position by means of the guard-rails I5 5 the triangular or other suitable supports in g, substantially as setforth.

any convenient manner. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature inHaving thus described my invention, what presence of two witnesses. I Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat- ELI J. WVOLFROM.

ent, is Witnesses: re The combination,with theapproximately tri- WM. N.JOHNSON,

angular-shaped supports A, of the sills D, the E. B. BREWINGTON.

